Bell 407 accident near Littleton, CO
On December 15, 1997, a Bell 407 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Littleton, CO. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- December 15, 1997
- Place
- Littleton, CO
- Aircraft
- Bell 407 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 39.590°N, 105.009°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X09300
Official records · FTW98FA068
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Communications Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On December 14, 1997, at 2200 mountain standard time, a Bell 407 helicopter, N771AL, operated by Air Methods Corporation as an air ambulance, impacted power lines then terrain during initial climb following takeoff from an accident scene in Littleton, Colorado. The helicopter was destroyed and the commercial pilot, two flight nurses, and the patient received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a company flight plan was filed for this medical evacuation flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 135. The flight departed a hospital in Aurora, Colorado, approximately 20 minutes prior to the accident. According to witnesses, the flight arrived from the northeast and circled the site clockwise before landing heading south on U. S. Highway 85. After picking up the patient, who was one of the victims in a multiple injury/fatality automobile accident, the flight was on initial climb following takeoff, and in a right turn, when it struck power lines. The lines were to the west of the takeoff point across the South Platte River and located on a riverside golf course bounded on the west by condominiums. Measurements, information from Public Service Company, and the witness marks on the helicopter provided evidence the helicopter struck the transmission line from below and impacted the ground in an inverted attitude below and to the west of the lines. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot was a former U. S. Army helicopter pilot and reportedly had extensive rotary wing experience. He held commercial pilot certificate number 1987204, issued January 1
Probable cause
The pilot's inability to maintain adequate visual lookout due to the lighting conditions and his failure to follow company procedures for departure from a landing zone. Factors were dark night conditions, bright lights in the landing zone which prevented vision beyond the zone, and the power line existence was not available on charts to either the pilot or ground personnel.
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Browse: Colorado · Bell aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
